The founding charter of the Omic Biodiversity Observation Network (Omic BON)

Abstract Omic BON is a thematic Biodiversity Observation Network under the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), focused on coordinating the observation of biomolecules in organisms and the environment. Our founding partners include representatives from national, regional, and global observing systems; standards organizations; and data and sample management infrastructures. By coordinating observing strategies, methods, and data flows, Omic BON will facilitate the co-creation of a global omics meta-observatory to generate actionable knowledge. Here, we present key elements of Omic BON's founding charter and first activities.

Addressing these challenges will require global coordination of key actors; overcoming 137 regional silos by ensuring compatibility of baselines, time-series, and reference libraries; 138 developing concerted strategies and agreed common practices for managing biosamples; 139 coordinating and maturing data, information standards, and strategies; and connecting to 140 social benefit areas. Vision A sustainable, responsive, and globally integrated omic meta-observatory that monitors biodiversity at the molecular level 1 .

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To transition the fragmented observations of biomolecular diversity into coordinated contributions to a meta-observatory for collective insight and action.

Meta-observatory
A distributed observatory to which anyone performing well-documented observations -from citizen science initiatives to established long-term observatories -can contribute. The observations conducted independently across time and space are integrated into a coordinated body of (meta)data through a harmonized community of practice, shared standards, and agreed methods. Benefits are shared among the contributors and with broader society for the common good.

Goals
• Provide a forum to discuss and coordinate omics methods, standards, and approaches among the land-, ocean-, freshwater, and human-health observing • Support mechanisms to detect sudden or consequential events that facilitate appropriate authorities in considering collective, targeted actions in response to emerging threats (e.g., to health of humans, agriculture, aquaculture, and fisheries) or needs (e.g., in monitoring invasive species or illegal trade in protected species) In order to achieve Omic BON's goals, we will start with three initial activities:  Subsequently, members of the SC will be nominated by and elected by the GA. Implementation or fulfillment of SC 233 strategy and decisions will be carried out by a Secretariat, which is appointed by and reports to the SC. Interest 234 groups (IGs) and working groups (WGs) will be formed based on the strategy laid out by the SC, which will put out      global-scale observing systems, standards organisations, and data and sample infrastructures.
Together we aim to establish a sustainable, responsive, and globally integrated omic meta-observatory that monitors biodiversity at the molecular level.
In the commentary, we present key elements of Omic BON's founding charter, introducing the first wave of activities to enhance molecular-scale biodiversity observations and transform them into actionable knowledge at a global scale.
We believe that the publication of this important commentary in GigaScience will provide a valuable platform for disseminating the ideas and goals of Omic BON to the scientific community. We appreciate the interdisciplinary nature of GigaScience and believe that the journal's broad reach and expert editorial board make it an ideal venue for this submission. Further, we value the continuity that comes with publishing Omic BON's founding charter in the same journal as that of one of its founding partners (Genomic Observatories network ).

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The article represents original work, has not been published previously, and has not been submitted for publication elsewhere while under consideration. All authors have reviewed and approved the final version submitted for review, and there are no competing interests in relation to the work described.
Thank you for considering our submission. We look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the scientific discourse in GigaScience.
Yours sincerely, Raïssa Meyer and Neil Davies -on behalf of all co-authors